NOTE: Ottawa’s Shiann Darkangelo will wear #6 tonight — she will be #27 moving forward.
New York hosts Ottawa for the first time in a critical contest for playoff hopes in Connecticut
BRIDGEPORT, CT (March 20, 2024) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) schedule begins this week with a pair of Wednesday night games, including New York and Ottawa, at Bridgeport’s Total Mortgage Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET.
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans in the United States can watch the game live on MSG/MSGHD. The game will also be available on the league’s YouTube channel. In Canada, the game will stream live on TSN+. Jamie Hersch will have the play-by-play call alongside analyst David Starman.
SETTING THE STAGE
Tonight’s game features two teams that are battling to stay in the playoff hunt as they reach the three-quarter mark of the inaugural season schedule. Ottawa (5-0-6-6) is in fifth place with 21 points, just one back of Boston, and New York (2-4-3-8) is in sixth place with 17 points. New York hopes that a fourth time at Total Mortgage Arena will be the charm that not only gives them their first win in Bridgeport but snaps a league-high six-game losing streak. They came close in this building two weeks ago in a 4-3 loss to Montréal on Mar. 6, and since then dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Boston on Mar. 10, and most recently suffered their most lopsided loss of the season in Minnesota by a 5-1 score on Saturday. Ottawa has eight points in their last five games, beginning with a 4-2 win over New York at home on Feb. 28. They’ve played three straight road games highlighted by a 4-2 win over Montréal at Place Bell on Mar. 10 sandwiched in between two shootout losses. They most recently fell to Boston 2-1 on Saturday as part of PWHL Takeover Weekend in Detroit. Ottawa has won three times on the road with 12 points in nine opportunities, while New York has just one win and three points in six home games. The league’s top two powerplays will go to work tonight, with Ottawa capitalizing five times in their last three games, while New York has scored four goals with the advantage in their last three games. The teams will meet once more on the schedule when Ottawa returns to the Tri-State area on Apr. 30.
THE SEASON SERIES SO FAR
Both teams have a head-to-head win, but Ottawa holds the 4-2 advantage in points over New York through two games of the season series. The first two games were played at The Arena at TD Place beginning Feb. 4 when New York completed the biggest comeback of the season by erasing a 3-0 third period deficit to win 4-3 in overtime. Alex Carpenter was the hero in that game, scoring the tying goal and the winner. Ottawa got some revenge on Feb. 28 with a 4-2 victory. Gabbie Hughes got the game winning goal with just over four minutes to play. Carpenter (2G 1A) and teammate Abby Roque (1G 2A) lead the way with three points in the season series, while Ottawa defender Savannah Harmon has scored a goal in each game. In goal, Corinne Schroeder turned aside 39 of 42 shots in New York’s win, with Emerance Maschmeyer stopping 27 of 31 in the first game defeat. Maschmeyer stopped 24 of 26 to earn the win in the rematch, with Abbey Levy stopping 26 of 29 in her loss.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York’s Alex Carpenter leads the league in scoring with 18 points, including eight goals and 10 assists in 17 games. She’s a threat every time she’s on the ice, but most deadly when the team is on the powerplay where she’s scored three goals with five assists. The rest of the team’s top powerplay unit is equally dangerous, including Ella Shelton (4G 9A) who leads all defenders in scoring with 13 points and has eight of them with the advantage. Jessie Eldridge (6G 5A) and Abby Roque (4G 7A) are tied with 11 points and have six and seven powerplay points respectively. Jaime Bourbonnais (3G 7A) is fifth in team scoring with 10 points, including five on the powerplay. Ottawa’s Kateřina Mrázová (6G 7A) leads the team with 13 points, powered by a six-game point streak that came to an end on Saturday in Detroit. She still managed to score the team’s only goal in the shootout. Emily Clark (3G 7A) scored the team’s lone goal in regulation on Saturday to bring her point total to 10. She’s tied with captain Brianne Jenner (3G 7A) who has four points in her last three games. Newcomer Tereza Vanišová (2G 8A) joins the team’s top scorers with 10 points in her first 17 games with Montréal. Her eight assists are the most of any Ottawa skaters. Gabbie Hughes (7G 2A) leads the team in goals and is tied with Daryl Watts (4G 5A) for fifth with nine points.
DARKANGELO AND VANIŠOVÁ REUNITE IN OTTAWA DEBUT
Ottawa was the league’s most active team ahead of Monday’s trade deadline acquiring forward Shiann Darkangelo from Boston Lexie Adzija and the rights to Caitrin Lonergan, and Tereza Vanišová from Montréal for Amanda Boulier. Both new players will play their first game for the team tonight with Vanišová slotted on the left side of the third line, and Darkangelo centering the fourth line. The pair played together last season with the PHF’s Toronto Six and were instrumental in leading the team to an Isobel Cup title. Darkangelo was team captain, and Vanišová scored the overtime goal in the final. Daryl Watts was also a member of that team. Last season’s win was Vanišová’s third straight Isobel Cup, while Darkangelo also won in 2017. In addition to championship experience at the pro level, Darkangelo won gold at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship, while Vanišová has represented Czechia at six top division World Championships winning a bronze medal in 2023. She will find familiarity with Czech teammates Kateřina Mrázová and Aneta Tejralová and national team coach Carla MacLeod.
CONNECTICUT CONNECTIONS
Several Ottawa players return to the state where they played their NCAA hockey. Shiann Darkangelo spent two seasons at Quinnipiac University where she totalled 60 points between 2013-15. She turned pro the following season with the PHF’s Connecticut Whale. Zoe Boyd is also a former Bobcat, graduating in 2023 as co-captain having amassed five years with the program. Natalie Snodgrass attended the University of Connecticut over five years from 2017-22. She served two seasons as Huskies captain and holds the program record with 70 goals in 170 career games.
FOLLOWING THE FROZEN FOUR AND PATTY KAZMAIER
The 2024 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four field is set with future stars of the PWHL competing in the national semifinals to be played at Whittemore Center Arena in Durham, NH, on Friday, March 22. No. 1-ranked Ohio State will take on No. 4 Clarkson at 4:00 p.m. ET, followed by No. 2 Wisconsin against No. 3 Colgate at 7:30 p.m. ET. The championship game will be played on Sunday, March 24 at 4:00 p.m. ET. A number of alumnae representing the four competing programs are on PWHL New York and Ottawa rosters. Former Buckeyes include Paetyn Levis (NY) and Jincy Roese (OTT), former Badgers include Emily Clark (OTT), Madison Packer (NY), Abby Roque (NY), and Daryl Watts (OTT), former Raiders include Rosalie Demers (OTT), Jessie Eldridge (NY), Malia Schneider (OTT), and Olivia Zafuto (NY), and former Golden Knights include Elizabeth Giguère (NY), Savannah Harmon (OTT), and Ella Shelton (NY). Levis was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 2022. The winner of the 2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which goes to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey, will be announced on Saturday, March 23, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Past recipients of the award include Giguère (Clarkson, 2020), Watts (Boston College, 2018), and New York’s Alex Carpenter (Boston College, 2015).
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We know the game tonight will be a battle as all games against Ottawa have been, but we’re hoping to use our home ice to our advantage and feel confident that we can string together a full 60 minutes of complete hockey.” – Jaime Bourbonnais, New York
“It’s playoff hockey for us right now. Every game remains important for every team in our league, but I feel it’s doubly so for us. We’ve dug ourselves a bit of a hole that won’t be easy to get out of. What’s working in our favor is the fact that a playoff spot is still well within reach. This game provides a chance to gain some traction and put some points up on the board.” – Howie Draper, New York
“I’d like to reiterate our appreciation to both Amanda Boulier and Lexie Adzija for their efforts in helping us get to this point. We wish them both the best with their new teams. We are looking forward to playing another important game and adding both Tereza Vanišová and Shiann Darkangelo to our lineup. We are in a similar boat as New York so there is no doubt this will be a fun evening.” – Carla MacLeod, Ottawa
QUICK HITS
Ottawa (-5) is fourth in goal differential and New York (-8) is tied for fifth…Ottawa (2.47) is second in goals-per-game average and New York (2.12) ranks fifth…New York (2.59) allows the second most goals-per-game and Ottawa (2.76) allows the most on average…Ottawa has scored the game’s first goal nine times, New York has scored first six times…Ottawa leads the league with 17 first period goals, New York is tied for fifth with just eight goals in the opening frame…New York has been in 10 one-goal games and won four, while Ottawa has lost all nine of its one-goal games…Ottawa (+38) is third in shot differential and New York (-132) ranks sixth…Ottawa (30.06) is second in shots-per-game average and New York (26.82) ranks sixth…Ottawa (27.94) allows the third most shots-per-game and New York (34.53) allows the most on average…Ottawa has outshot its opponents 11 times, New York has only outshot an opponent once…New York (7.59) average the most penalty minutes per game and Ottawa (5.18) averages the least…Ottawa (14/49) is first in powerplay efficiency at 28.6%…New York (12/53) is second on the PP at 22.6%…New York (47/52) is second in penalty kill efficiency at 90.4%…Ottawa (34/42) is fifth on the PK at 81.0%…Alex Carpenter (NY) leads the league in scoring with 18 points…Ella Shelton (NY) leads all defenders with 13 points…Carpenter and Shelton are tied for the league-lead with eight powerplay points…Abby Roque (NY) leads the league with 29 penalty minutes…Jade Downie-Landry (NY) and Tereza Vanišová (OTT) are in a four-way tie for the league-lead with eight minor penalties…Jessie Eldridge leads New York with 65 shots on goal…Hayley Scamurra leads Ottawa with 60 shots…Carpenter (185/308) leads New York in face-offs and with a win-rate of 60.1%…Brianne Jenner (90/165) leads Ottawa with a face-off percentage of 54.5%…Gabbie Hughes (45.8%) leads the team with 295 draws…Abigail Levy (NY) has one win in six starts with a goals-against-average of 2.63 and save percentage of .921…Emerance Maschmeyer (OTT) has won five of her 15 starts with a 2.43 GAA and .908 SV%…Shiann Darkangelo (OTT) will wear jersey No. 6 tonight before wearing No. 27 the remainder of the season.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
NEW YORK:
Woods | Carpenter | Eldridge
Saulnier | Roque | Levis
Aurard | Downie-Landry | Giguère
Vespa | Labelle | Packer
Norcross
Zandee-Hart | Bourbonnais
Hobson | Shelton
Fällman | Baker
Levy | Schroeder
Scratches: Post, Zafuto
OTTAWA:
Clark | Hughes | Scamurra
Watts | Mrázová | Jenner
Vanišová | Snodgrass | Shiga
Gilmore | Darkangelo | Demers
Davis
Tejralová | Harmon
Boyd | Bell
Roese | Buckles
Maschmeyer | Abstreiter
Scratches: Della Rovere, Gasparics, Isbell, McQuigge
OFFICIALS:
Referees: Hillary Brennan (London, ON) and Christopher Rumble (West Seneca, NY).
Linespersons: Spencer Knox (Clarington, ON) and Luke Pye (Belle River, ON).
Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial plus team accounts @pwhl_newyork and @pwhl_ottawa.